Tobacco arranging machine



Nov. 18, 1952 s. HATHAWAY TOBACCO ARRANGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1946 m Mm -H a ILH I I(MIW W as 15 i T "I 2 ,mli-i k- 63 2 3e v t IL 34 I INVENTOR.

STANLEY HATHAWAY ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOBACCO ARRANGING MACHINE Stanley Hathaway, Greenville, N. 0. Application February 25, 1946, Serial No. 649,879

12 Claims.

This invention relates to article handling, and more particularly to the handling of plant leaves employed in manufacturing a product, one example being the handling of leaves of the tobacco plant in the manufacture of tobacco products.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 579,653, filed February 24, 1945, and now abandoned, the subject matter of which is included with additions herein.

Tobacco leaves are harvested, then cured, and in some localities they are graded and tied in bundles, while in other localities as, for example in the southeastern part of the United States, the leaves are not tied in bundles, but are left loose in disorderly piles. These loose tobacco leaves are known in the trade as Georgia tobacco, and are less desirable due to the possibilities of damage and loss, on account of the fact that they present problems in handling by au omatic machinery.

Before this loose tobacco can be economically used in the manufacture of numerous tobacco products, the leaves must be arranged in an orderly fashion so that they can be handled by automatic machines, and it has been necessary heretofore to straighten or arrange the leaves by hand. This has amounted to slow, tedious, and consequently expensive procedure.

In addition to the handling of "Georgia tobacco, or tobacco leaves which have not been tied and graded, and which require arranging or straightening, freouently the leaves of the tobacco which have been tied and bundled become untied, and disarranged, and it is desirable that these leaves likewise be subjected to the same process of straightening and arranging, so that they can be handled by the automatic machines.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the above problems of handling tobacco leaves, and the like, by providing a machine for straightening or arranging the leaves in a manner that they may be easily utilized in the manufacture of the desired tobacco or other products.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of receiving tobacco, or other leaves, in any quantity, and in any degree of disorder, and discharge them from the machine arranged in a straight or an orderly manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact machine of few, simple, and inexpensive parts, so that the entire machine may be located on a single floor of a building.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following descri.p-'- tion taken in conjunction with the drawings; wherein: I

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, partiallyin cross-section, illustrating one application of the invention; 7 i

Fig. 2, a top plan view; Fig. 3, a detailed view of the doffer; and Fig. a detailed view of the channel box. The present invention is an improvement over machines merely for cutting or shredding leaves.

which are dropped, and is also an improvement over machines constructed merely to pick up by suction and convey dropped or loose leaves to other locations.

Briefly stated, the present invention comprises an upright chamber with suction producing means connected to its upper end, and also with an inlet adjacent its upper end for the introduc-, tion of leaves into the chamber so that they may float gently downward, and due to their heavier stems be discharged, stems first, from the bottom of the chamber. An-inclined conveyor is em-' ployed for elevating and feeding the leaves into the upper end of the chamber, and a conveyor is disposed beneath the lower end of the chamber, and is provided with parallel channel forming members so that the leaves will be carried in parallel relation along said channels and discharged. 1

With further reference to the drawing, a leaf treating chamber Ill, preferably rectangular: in cross-section, having reduced upper and lower ends and of substantial height, is provided with an inlet H, for receiving tobacco or other leaves l2, from a chute or inclined surface, I3.

The chamber [0 is designed to permitthe leaves to fall downwardly therein, and accordingly is of substantial height, at least several times -the length of the leaves to be treated, so that the leaves may have the opportunity of turning over and reversing ends during their downward movement in the chamber. The inlet ll, accordingly, is located near the upper end of the chamber Ill, and in order that the apparatus may be located on a single floor or a building, a conveyor I4 is employed for carrying leaves from a lower posi-' tion, convenient to an operator, upwardly to the chute from which the leaves are fed into the chamber.

The conveyor 14 may be of any desired character, but preferably is an endless conveyor, as shown, having transverse ribs or cleats l5 to insure that the tobacco leaves will be carried u'p' wardly by the conveyor. The lower end of the '3 conveyor extends around a pulley l6 mounted on supports [7, and the upper end of the conveyor extends around a pulley 18 on supports or frame I 9. In order to prevent waste of tobacco, the conveyor is preferably provided with a housing consisting of a floor 20 and upright sides 2|.

For maximum efiiciency in operation, it is desirable that the tobacco to be treated be uniformly and vcontinuously fed to thechamber, regardlessqf the manner in which the tobacco is disposed upon the conveyor I 4. Accordingly, an adjustable doffer or regulator having fingers 22 is mounted on a shaft 23, rotatably mounted in arms 24 carried by the supports .or A frames I9. The doifer is driven by a belt 25 from the shaft 26, by means of the pulley 18.

The conveyor [4, having its :ufoper'end extend ing around the pulley I 8, is driven from the pulley I 8 by means of its supporting shaft 26. shaft is provided with a pulley 21 dri en by a belt n from a pulley "9 01143, shaft 313 -trorn' a water 3 1'. V

In order to provide a reduced pressure witl'i in theichamber 111 and produce an upward -'movement of'air within the chamber and "in order to reduce the speed of falling of the leaves into the chamber, as well as to cause tl ieilighter portions of the leaves to be disposed upwardly, suction is applied to-the upper end ofth'e chamber by means of an air duct or a conduit "32 conne ted to=a-pump =33, airbeing drawn in at the bottom ofthe chamber. The pumphas a shafted carrying a -pulley"35"driven by a beast "from a pulley 31 on'the motor shaft 311.

To impart intermittent impulses to the leaves inane-chamber H], a butterfly valve 313 ona'shaft 39 having a-pulley 4 driven by a belt '4 from a pulley '42 on-the sh-aft2'6, is'employed. The rotation of the shaft =will intermittently interrupt the suction through the pipe 32.

A' bafll'e 43 anda screen 44 maybe used to prevent the leaves from being sucked from the suction chamber into the pipe 32. Likewise, a control valve'45 may =belocated in the pipe 32, near the pump 33, if desired for convenience. By means ofthis control valve 45 the amount of suction in the chamber may be controlled.

It will be readily understood that leaves, such astobacco-l'eaves, fed to the assorting chamber ill, will flow downwardly gradually, due to the reduction in pressure caused by the pump 33. In order to cause the leaves to be discharged in an orderly manner from the chamber I'll, a channel 'boxor' chute-45 having parallel guide plates M support-ed by hinge members 48, bolted or otherwise secured to the "lower end of the front walldefining the chamber'lfi. "The plates M are preferably maintained in spaced relation at their rear ends by a connecting bar 48, extending across-the top of the same, leaving the space %between thepl'ates fl prov-idingways open from top to bottom at the rear end of the channel 'box lt. Since the channelbox is open atthe top and bottom,. orientation of the leaves will occur by the-leaves falling :by gravity from thechamber l8 andsettling' into the ways or spaces between the parallel walls. Iii-order to; cause these .leaves to move: endwise" and. be; discharged, a horizontal conveyor :is mountedbeneath the channel box or pulleys 5| and 52 on shafts 53 and 54-, the shaft 54 being driven by means of a pulley 55, belt 56 and pulley 51., on shaft 26.

In order toprevent leaves from becoming lodgedon the plates 41 of the channel box 46, 3339321501- rojections 58 on the conveyor 58, preterably a row at each side of the conveyor, are provided for contact with each end wall of the channel box, thus the channel box will be oscillated or vibrated on its pivotal mountings due to its rear end being engaged by the projections 58.

Any desired means may be employed for carrying away the leaves discharged by the conveyor 50 from the channel box, for example, a conveyor .59 may be :carriedon suitable pulleysBfi on shafts 61 and 52 in bearings 6'3. The shaft 9i may be driven by a belt 54 directly from the motor shaft '36. A bridge 65, suitably mounted, as for ex- ,ainple'onshafti53, may be employed between the horizontal conveyors at the lower end of the chamber for preventing the leaves from becoming lodged between the two conveyors.

Instead of the mechanism being driven from a single motor, as illustrated, a plurality of driving motors or other drivingmeans may be employed. Also, conveyors of other character .mayjbe employed, :althoughitiis quite important .thatimeans be employed for; providing parallel channels gfor the leaves.

,In .order that the apparatus may be :operated with maximum emciency, it is necessary to acoordinate the several elements and operations 0f the device. For example, it is necessary to correlate the height of the chamber, the amount of suction, the amount of material to :betreated, the continuous uniform supply and discharge, and the interruption of the suction to the chamber 'for best results.

The conveyor shouldmove as rapidly-as possible to treat the maximum amount of material, but not faster than to satisfactorily handle the material, and there should be sufficient airflow through the chamber .to :cause the leaves to be properly arranged. Thus, as with any machine, the adjustment of the several operating :parts is advisable.

In the operation of the device, tobacco :or other leaves are dumped, or otherwise deposited, onto the conveyor It, and are carried up for introduction into the chamber it), the doiier'serving to thin out, regulate, and produce uniform flow down the chute I3, and through the inlet H, into the chamber i ll. Suction by thepum'p 33 through the pipe 32 will produce a reduction in the air pressure within the cliamb'er h), such reduction being intermittently interrupted or given a pulsating effect by means of the butterfly valve 38,, so that the leaves will be caused to turn over and fioat with their stem ends downwardly, until they settle gently through the channel box ll-S, onto the conveyor 59, for discharge, stems first, lengthwise onto the conveyor 59.

It will .be obvious to thoseskilledin the art-that" various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the inventionis not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tobacco leaf arranging machine comprising a relatively tall arranging chamber having a reduced discharge outlet adjacent its lower end for the inlet of air and for the dischargeoi leaves from said chamber, means for withdrawing air from the upper portion of said chamber, for producing an upward flow of air through said chamber and for decreasing the air pressure in said chamber, means for controlling the amount of withdrawn air. meansfor feeding leaves ,into the upper portion of said chamber so that said leaves may move downwardly under the influence of gravity with such downward movementretarded by the movement of air in said chamber, a baffle in said chamber for preventing leaves fed into the chamber from being subjected to the direct action of the air suction, a screen in said chamber for preventing leaves from being carried out of the upper end of the chamber, a chute beneath the discharge outlet having individual slideways for the leaves discharged, a conveyor adjacent said discharge outlet for receiving the leaves from said chute, and unitary means for driving said air withdrawing means and said conveyor.

2. A tobacco leaf arranging machine comprising an arranging chamber disposed in an upright position and having reduced upper and lower ends, means for drawing air upwardly through said chamber, means for controlling the amount of air drawn through the chamber, means for feeding leaves into the upper portion of the chamber, a baflle in said chamber for preventing leaves fed into the upper end of the chamber from being sucked directly out of the chamber, a screen in said chamber for preventing leaves from being carried out of the upper end of the chamber, a chute adjacent the lower end of said chamber having individual ways for receiving leaves, stern first and causing them to be discharged from said chute in like manner, and a conveyor beneath the lower end of the chute for receiving the leaves and transferring and discharging them at a distance therefrom in an assorted arrangement.

3. A tobacco leaf arranging machine comprising a relatively tall arranging chamber having a reduced discharge outlet adjacent its lower end for the inlet of air and for the discharge of leaves from said chamber, means for producing an upward flow of air through said chamber and for decreasing the air pressure in said chamber, means for feeding leaves into the upper portion of said chamber so that said leaves may move downwardly under the influence of gravity with such downward movement retarded by the movement of air in said chamber, a baffle in said chamber for preventing leaves fed into the chamber from being subjected to the direct action of the air suction, a screen in said chamber for preventing leaves from being carried out of the upper end of the chamber, a chute beneath the discharge outlet having individual slideways for the leaves discharged, a conveyor for receiving the leaves from said chute, and unitary means for driving said air withdrawing means and said conveyor.

4. A leaf arranging device comprising a relatively tall chamber having a discharge outlet adjacent its lower end, means for producing movement of air upwardly in said chamber, means for feeding leaves into said chamber so that they may be subjected to the combination of gravity and air movement and thereby be caused to assume a position with the heavy stem portions of the leaves downwardly, a conveyor disposed adjacent said discharge outlet and means disposed between said discharge outlet and said conveyor for depositing leaves on said conveyor in spaced parallel arrangement.

5. A leaf arranging device comprising a relatively tall chamber having a discharge outlet adjacent its lower end, means for producing movement of air upwardly in said chamber, means for feeding leaves into said chamber so that they may be subjected to the combination of gravity and air movement and thereby be caused to assume a position with the heavy stem portions of the leaves downward, receiving means for the leaves discharged from said chamber and constructed to cause the leaves to assume a definite assorted arrangement, said receiving means including a chute having individual ways disposed adjacent said discharge outlet and a conveyor beneath the chute transferring and discharging the leaves.

6. A leaf arranging device comprising a relatively tall chamber having a discharge outlet adjacent its lower end, means for producing movement of air upwardly in said chamber, means for intermittently interrupting the movement of air during operation of said device, means for feeding leaves into said chamber so that they may be subjected to the combination of gravity and air movement and thereby be caused to assume a position with the heavy stem portions of the leaves downward, a conveyor disposed adjacent said discharge outlet and means disposed between said discharge outlet and said conveyor for depositing leaves on said conveyor in spaced parallel arrangement.

7. A leaf arranging device comprising a relatively tall chamber having a discharge outlet adjacent its lower end, means for producing movement of air upwardly in said chamber, means for feedin leaves into said chamber so that they may be subjected to the combination of gravity and air movement and thereby be caused to assume a position with the heavy stem portions of the leaves downward, receiving means for the leaves discharged from said chamber and constructed to cause the leaves to assume a definite assorted arrangement, said receiving means including mechanism defining individual ways dis-' posed adjacent said discharge outlet into which said leaves are adapted to gravitate, and means for shaking said last mentioned means to prevent leaves from becomin lodged thereon.

8. A leaf arranging device comprising a relatively narrow chamber having a combination air inlet and discharge outlet adjacent its lower end, means for producing movement of air upwardly in said chamber, an elevating conveyor for feeding leaves to the upper portion of the chamber so that they may be subjected to gravity and air movement contrary to gravity, in said chamher and with the influence of gravity greater than the influence of air movement, means for intermittently interrupting the movement of air in said chamber in timed relation to the operation of said conveyor to provide additional agitation for the leaves, and a bottomless channel box disposed adjacent said discharge outlet to re ceive the leaves discharged from the discharge outlet of said chamber.

9. A leaf arranging device comprising a rela tively narrow chamber having a combination air inlet and discharge outlet adjacent its lower end, means for producing movement of air upwardly in said chamber, an elevating conveyor for feeding leaves to the upper portion of said chamber so that they may be subjected to gravity and air movement contrary to gravity, in said chamber and with the influence of gravity greater than the influence of air movement, means for intermittently interrupting the movement of air in said chamber to provide additional agitation for the leaves, a bottomless channel box disposed adjacent said discharge outlet to receive the leaves discharged from the discharge outlet of said chamber, said channel box having parallel partition members for producing orientation of the leaves so that they will be discharged with their stems first in parallel relation, and means for -7 ihroducing vibration of said channel-box to prevent' leaves from'becomin'g lodged thereon.

'10. A leaf arranging device comprising a relatively narrow chamber having a combination airinlet and discharge outlet adjacent its lower end, means for producing movement of air upwardly in said chamber, an elevating conveyor for feeding'leaves to the upper portion of the chamber-so that they may be subjected to gravity and air movement contrary to gravity in said chamber andwith the influence of gravity greater than the influence'of air movement, means for intermittently interrupting the movement of air in said chamber to provideadditi-onal agitation for the leaves, a'bottomless channel box disposed adjacent said discharge outlet to receive the leaves .discharged from the discharge outlet of said-chamber, anda conveyor with an upper-run disposed adjacent the bottom of said channel box, movable to carry the leaves endwise along and tromsaid channel box.

11. A leaf arranging device comprising'a-relativel-y tall :and wide chamber-having a combination air inlet and discharge outlet adjacent its lower portion, an air duct connected to the upper end of saidchamber, a suction pump for produc ing fiow of air in said chamber and through said duct, valve means for controlling and intermittently interrupting said flow of air, an elevating conveyor for feeding leaves into the upper portion of said chamber so that they may be sub jected to gravity and air movement contrary to gravity in said chamber, and with the influence ofgravity'greater than the influence of air movement and with such air movement being subject to intermittent interruption by said valve means toprovide additional agitation for the leaves, a bottomless channel box disposed adjacent said discharge outlet to receive the leaves discharged from said discharge outlet, said channel box having partition members for producing orientation of the leaves so that they will be discharged with their stems first-in parallel relation, and means for producing vibration of said channel box to prevent the leaves from becoming lodged thereon.

8. :12. A leaf arranging device -comprising- .a relatively tall-and Widechamber'having acombination air inlet and discharge outlet adjacent its lower portion, an air duct connected to the upper end of said chamber, a suction pump for producing flow of air in said chamber and through saidduct, valve means for controlling and intermittently interrupting said flow of air, an elevating conveyor for feeding leaves into the upper portion of said chamber so that they may be subjected to gravity and air movement contrary to gravity in said chamber, and with the influence of gravity greater than the influence of air movement and with such air movement being subject to intermittent interruption by said valve means to provide additional agitation for the leaves, a bottomless channel box disposed adjacent said discharge outlet to receive the leaves discharged from said discharge outlet, said channel box having partition members for producing orientation of the leaves so that they will be discbarged with their stems first inparallel relation, means for producing vibration of said channel box topicvent the leaves from becoming lodged thereon, and a conveyor with an upper run disposed adjacent the bottom of said channel box, and movable to carry the leaves endvvise along and from said channel box.

STANLEY HATHAWAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 225,471 Arbuckle Apr. 13, .1880 568,092 Danehy Nov. 7, 1893 644,855 Forster 0 Mar. 6, 1980 1,139,136 Johnson May 11, 1915 1,143,587 Mars den June 15, 1915 1,582,829 Hungerford Apr. 27, 1926 2,100,878 Shallock NOV. 39, 13.3? 2,164,6"76 Appleyard et a1. July 4,1939 2,192,518 Eissmann Mar. '5, 1940 

